Methods for reducing error in environmental noise compensation systems

Abstract

Noise compensation method comprising: (a) receiving a content stream including content audio data; (b) receiving first microphone signals from a first device; (c) detecting ambient noise from a noise source location in or near the audio environment; (d) causing a first wireless signal to be transmitted from the first device to a second device, the first wireless signal including instructions for the second device to record an audio segment (e) receiving a second wireless signal from the second device; (f) determining a content stream audio segment time interval for a content stream audio segment; (g) receiving a third wireless signal from the second device, including a recorded audio segment captured via a second device microphone; (h) determining a second device ambient noise signal at the second device location; and (i) implementing a noise compensation method for the content audio data based, at least in part, on the second device ambient noise signal.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A noise compensation method, comprising:
 receiving, by a first device control system and via a first interface system of a first device in an audio environment, a content stream that includes content audio data; 
 receiving, by the first device control system and via the first interface system, first microphone signals from a first device microphone system of the first device; 
 detecting, by the first device control system and based at least in part on the first microphone signals, ambient noise from a noise source location in or near the audio environment; 
 causing, by the first device control system, a first wireless signal to be transmitted from the first device to a second device in the audio environment via the first interface system, the first wireless signal including instructions for the second device to record an audio segment via a second device microphone system; 
 receiving, by the first device control system and via the first interface system, a second wireless signal from the second device; 
 determining, by the first device control system, a content stream audio segment time interval for a content stream audio segment; 
 receiving, by the first device control system and via the first interface system, a third wireless signal from the second device, the third wireless signal including a recorded audio segment captured via the second device microphone; 
 determining, by the first device control system, a second device ambient noise signal at the second device location based, at least in part, on the recorded audio segment and the content stream audio segment; and 
 implementing, by the first device control system, a noise compensation method for the content audio data based, at least in part, on the second device ambient noise signal, to produce noise-compensated audio data. 
 
     
     
       2. The noise compensation method of  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless signal includes a second device audio recording start time or information for determining the second device audio recording start time. 
     
     
       3. The noise compensation method of  claim 1 , wherein the second wireless signal indicates a second device audio recording start time. 
     
     
       4. The noise compensation method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the first device control system and via the first interface system, a fourth wireless signal from the second device, the fourth wireless signal indicating a second device audio recording end time. 
     
     
       5. The noise compensation method of  claim 4 , further comprising determining a content stream audio segment end time based on the second device audio recording end time. 
     
     
       6. The noise compensation method of  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless signal indicates a second device audio recording time interval. 
     
     
       7. The noise compensation method of  claim 1 , wherein the first device is a television or a television control module. 
     
     
       8. The noise compensation method of  claim 1 , wherein the second device is a remote control device, a smart phone or a smart speaker. 
     
     
       9. The noise compensation method of  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless signal is sent via radio waves or microwaves. 
     
     
       10. The noise compensation method of  claim 1 , wherein the second wireless signal is sent via infrared waves. 
     
     
       11. The noise compensation method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the first device control system and via the first interface system, second microphone signals from the first device microphone system during a second device audio recording time interval; and 
 detecting, by the first device control system and based at least in part on the first microphone signals, a first device ambient noise signal corresponding to the ambient noise from the noise source location, wherein the noise compensation method is based, at least in part, on the first device ambient noise signal. 
 
     
     
       12. The noise compensation method of  claim 11 , wherein the noise compensation method is based, at least in part, on a comparison of the first device ambient noise signal and the second device ambient noise signal. 
     
     
       13. The noise compensation method of  claim 11 , wherein the noise compensation method is based, at least in part, on a ratio of the first device ambient noise signal and the second device ambient noise signal. 
     
     
       14. The noise compensation method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing, by the first device control system and via the first interface system, the noise-compensated audio data to one or more audio reproduction transducers of the audio environment. 
     
     
       15. The noise compensation method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 rendering, by the first device control system, the noise-compensated audio data to produce rendered audio signals; and 
 providing, by the first device control system and via the first interface system, the rendered audio signals to at least some audio reproduction transducers of a set of audio reproduction transducers of the audio environment. 
 
     
     
       16. The noise compensation method of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the reproduction transducers of the audio environment resides in the first device. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus configured to perform the noise compensation method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       18. One or more non-transitory media having software stored thereon, the software including instructions for controlling one or more devices to perform the noise compensation method of  claim 1 .